Microscopes are widely used for the examination of biological and mineral specimens and often, as in the medical field, it is desirable to regularly examine large quantities of specimens such as the blood of hospitalized patients. In such cases, electronic systems may be used to automatically examine and analyze the optical images of the microscope. Where electronics systems are used for rapid analysis of microscope specimen images it becomes desirable to automatically regularly and rapidly feed the specimens to the microscope optics. After analysis a specimen would be removed to make room for the next specimen and would be collected for either further examination, reference, record keeping or disposal.
A microscope specimen stage is the platform of the microscope which supports the specimen slide that carries the object to be examined. If the object to be examined is to be viewed with transmitted light then it is necessary for the specimen stage or support to have a light transmissive opening in alignment with the microscope objective lens light path. The specimen stage has this opening for light transmission in or near its center. In order that as much area of the specimen slide as possible to viewed during examination of the specimen without sliding the specimen slide about the specimen stage this opening in the specimen stage is made as large as possible and exposes the full width of the specimen slide. If the specimen slide were pushed onto the specimen stage while the specimen stage was positioned in the light path of the microscope objective and condenser lenses the specimen slide would drop into this opening.
Specimen slides for use with microscopes at present are generally made of transparent glass. This glass is extremely brittle and chips, abrades, and fractures very easily. What might otherwise be considered normal and safe procedures for handling and clamping most other materials are generally not satisfactory for glass microscope specimen slides. The scraping action and the abrasiveness of the glass edges will quickly deteriorate and make useless many of the metal and plastic surfaces contacted by it if excessive rubbing pressure is applied. Because of these scraping, chipping, fracturing and abrasive characteristics the glass microscope specimen slide must be handled gently and carefully. Heavy clamping of the glass surfaces and applying excessive surface and side pressures on it should be avoided. When moving the specimen slide about, excessive rubbing of the glass edges against metal and plastic surfaces should be avoided.
However, no matter how it is avoided elsewhere, clamping and guiding of the glass specimen slide cannot be avoided on the microscope specimen stage. If the specimen slide is to be seated securely and aligned properly it must be guided into position accurately and then clamped, but this clamping must be done as gently as possible.